Cigar and cigarette lighter



July 18, 1933. F C, COPELAND 1,919,159

CIGAR AND CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Aug. 27, 1927 Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATI-:s

PATENT GFFICE FRANCIS C. COPELAND, OF SAN FRANCSCU, CALFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESN ASSIGNMENTS; T JOSEPH H. COHEN, OF BRIDGEPORT, CUNNECTICUT CIG-AB. AND CIEGARETTE LlEGHTE'R Application filed August 27. w27. Serial No. 215,819..

My-present invention relates to an electric lighter. for cigars and cigarettes.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a lighter of the above type which can be freely handled and used without interference by entangling leads or other cnru rent conducting means.

A. further object of my invention is to provide a lighter having the above features, which is safe, reliable and eiective in its operation.

Other features and objects will be apparent as the descriptionproceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section. showing my device in its heating up position. g Fig. 2 shows the lighter element alone.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the base showing the position of the parts with the lighter removed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view ot Fig. 3 talren along the linel`V--l"l7.`

Fig.. 5 is an enlarged inverted plan view of the heater element. A

Fig. 6 is alragmentary enlarged sectional view of the heater element.

ln the drawing, l have illustrated my invention as having two separable parts and for purposes of appearance these parts are designed to represent a golf ball and tee The golf ball element is designated by the numeral 10 and the tee element by the numeral 11. rlhe ball 10 has an extending rim 12 on its lower side which engages with a I recess 13 in the tee 11 and holds the ball to all appearances in a teed position when not in use.

rlhe tee or base member 11 has a vertical opening 14 through its center, in which is mounted a contact carrying member 15. A second member 16 which cooperates with the member is also located in the base member11. Connection studs 17 and 18 are provided i-n the member 16 to which current conducting leads 19 are attached. After the parts are assembled a plate 2O having a felt pad 21 is secured to the bottom of the member 11 to hold the parts together. lShoulders 22 and 23 are formed in the member 11 to prevent the parts 15 and 16 from moving alter the plate is secured in place. rlhe member 15 supports the contacts 24: and 25 which, when in operation, act to conduct current to a heater element 26 carried by the ball or removable member 10. rlhe Contact 2l is adapted to slide up and down in the center of the member 15 and is provided with an enlarged head 27 under which a spring 28 is located. This spring 28 operates to keep the contact 24 out of contact with its cooperating stud 17, as shown in Fig. 3, When the ball 10 is removed and thereby provides an open circuit so that danger of shocks, etc.. is eliminated. 'lhe spring 28 is made suiciently stid to hold the weight oi? the removable ele` ment 10 and hold the circuit open until additional pressure is brought to bear upon the ball as will be hereinaiter described. rlhe contact has an annular resilient conducting member 29 secured to it. 'lhis member 29 is supported on one side by the Contact 25 and on its other side by a pin 30. llt should be point/ed out here that the member 29 can be dispensed with and that the connections can be made directly upon the contact 25.

'lhe ball or removable member 10, as previously stat/ed, carries a heater element 26 which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the contacts 24: and 25 when it is desired to heat it. The element 26 is located in the extending rim 12 on the ball and has two concentrically arranged contacts which comprise a central contact 31 and an annular contact 32. These contacts 31 and 32 cooperate and connect respectively with the contact head 27 and the annular member 29 mounted in the base member 11. ln this manner a circuit is established through the heater element 26 when the heater is to be the space between the stationary member 11 and the removable member when these parts are together. rllhis facilitates and produces a rapid heating up of the heater unit by preventing radiation of heat therefrom during the heating up period and it also protects they unit against injury when the same is not in use.

By referring to Figs. 5 and 3, it will be seen that the heater element 26 is termed in a spiral and that it is mounted in an inverted cup or dished holder 33. rilhe cup 33 is formed with two outwardly extending flanges 34 and 35, the latter ot which forms the aforementioned contact 32. The outer turn ot the spiral heater element 26 is electrically connected with the cup 33 and its central turn is electrically connected to the contact 3l. rllhe contact 31 projects outwardly "from the bottom "ber 41 against one side of which of the cup and holds the heating element in what ll have termed a conical form. A screw threaded portion 40 on the Contact 3l extends through 'the cup 33 and engages a bridging member 41 of insulating material and thus holds the parts together. Surrounding the threaded portion of the stud 31 and between the heater element 26 and the cup 33 is an insulating member 39. From the drawing, it will be seen that the heater element 26, the cup 33 and the contact 31 are held together as a unit by means ot a nut 36 upon the threaded portion 40 oit the stud 31. lt will also be seen that the ball portion is provided with an inwardly projecting annular rim- 37 a spacer 38 engages of which the bridg- The bridging memis provided with a threaded hole into which the stud 31 extends and operates to hold the ball and heating unit together. By having the portion of the plate or holder 33 and against the other side lng member 41 engages.

between the flange 36 and the heating element 26 perforated dissipation of theV heat of the heating element through the plate is l reduced as is the heating of the body of the igniting unit.

The operation of a device'built in accordance with myinvention isas follows: Assuming the base 11 to be connected with a suitable source of electrical current by means of leads 19 and that the ball 10 is rest-ing upon the tee 11 with the contacts 24 and 31 in contact, but with the contact 24 and stud 17 out of contact with each other due to the tension of the spring 28. The operator grasps or lays his hand upon the ball 10 and pushes it downwardly. This brings the contact ,24 and the stud 17 into engagement and completes a circuit through the heater element 26. The ball 10 is held in this depressed' position a sufficient time to permit the heating element to attain a glowing tempera-ture. The ball l0 can then be picked up free of the base and used as a lighter as long as the element 26 retains sulicient heat. With respect transverse Lerares to this feature, it should be pointed out that ll have formed the heater element of ribbon with the edge only exposed to the lighting operation. By arranging the heater in this manner, ll have found that it retains its heat longer and that by arranging the turns in a spiral, that is with the turns in ditlerent planes and away from the support, l permit a. tree circulation of air through the turns, the air tirst passing between the exposed turns and then back again through the turns adjacent cigar or cigarette being lighted. ln this way the air is subjected to heating twice before it reaches the cigar or cigarette.

ldhile l have shown a preferred embodiment by way of illustration, l desire to have it understood that l do not wish to be limited thereby, but aim to cover all modifications which come within the scope ot the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what ll' claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent is* 1. A. portable electric resistance lighter tor cigars and the like comprising a spirally formed heater element, and a support for said resistance unit having an unvented recess into which the heater element'is inounted, all characterized by the fact that the spiral is formed of a ribbon resister having its turns presentededgewise and located in dilerent transverse planes to form a cone, whereby only the edge of said resistance element will contact with the article to be lighted and all circulation of air caused by draft upon the article being lighted will past first inwardly through said spiral outside of the area of Contact of said article and then outwardly through said spiral within the area of said article.

2. An electric cigar-lighter comprising a holding device for removably supporting an electrical igniting unit which is adapted to malte closed circuit engagement therewith when supported on the holding device; and a switch device mounted on the holding device comprising two cooperating contacts, one of' which is movable by hand operation, toward the other to close an electric circuit leading from a source of current to the holding device when the igniting unit is moved in a straight line on the holding device.

3. In an electrical device of the class described, a holding device upon which a removable translating unit may be supported; and a switch device comprising a stationary Contact and a movable contact on the holding device for closing a current supply circuit including the part of the holding device on which the translating unit is supported when pressure is brought tohear on the holding device.

4. A cigar-lighter comprising a body, a heatlng element, the body having a cavity open at one end within which the heating element is located, the other end of the body being closed and constituting a handle by means of which the cigar-lighter may be grasped, and means at the open end of the body for mounting the cigar-lighter on a supporting device for quick removal and replacement so that the heating element is concealed by the supporting device and the closed end of the body is exposed and accessible to be manually engaged for the manipulation of the cigar-lighter.

5. A cigar-lighter comprising a body having a cavity opening at one end of the body; a heating element located in said cavity and being accessible for engagement with a cigar or cigarette to ignite the end of the same; and a contact connectablel to a source of E. M. l?. and removably extending into said cavity to connect the heating element to a source of E. M. F., to heat the heating element and prepare the latter for the lighting of a cigar or cigarette.

6. An electric cigar-lighter comprising a holding device for removably supporting an electrical igniting unit which is adapted to make closed circuit engagement therewith when supported on the holding device; and a switch device mounted on the holding device comprising two cooperating contacts,

one of Which is movable by hand operation through the medium of the igniting unit when supported on the holding device to- Ward the other to close an electric circuit leading from a source of current to the holding device. i

7 In an electric appliance receptacle forl cigar lighters and the like, the combination of a pair of exposed current conducting contacts adapted to be connected With a removable lighter element and terminals'connected to a source of current, one of said contacts being movable With respect to one of said terminals, and means tending to hold said movable .contact out of conducting relation with the said terminal When the lighter element is removed fromthe receptacle.

8. In an electric cigar-lighter, the combination of a portable resistance-heater unit having concentrically arranged contacts at the ends thereof, a receptacle having an eirposed central contact and an annular contact adapted to cooperate with the contacts of said resistor unit and furnish current to the unit when thevaforesaid contacts engage, and means adapted to disconnect said exposed central contact from the source of current supply when said unit is removed and permit a circuit to be established through said unit when pressure is exerted forcing said unit into said receptacle.

l9. A cigar lighter comprising a holder having a base ada ted to rest by gravity on the surface of a ta le or the like; an igniting unit including a heating element supported on the holder for complete electrical and mechanical separation therefrom `for use and removatble igniting unit is supported on the holder, said means including electrical contacts for carrying current to the heating element carried by the igniting unit when the latter is moved in a direction toward the surface on Which the holder is supported, and the engagement of said means on the base and on the removable igniting unit being such that the removable igniting unit may be lifted from the base for use Without lifting the holder from the supporting surface.

,10. A cigar lighter comprising a holder having a base adapted to rest by gravity on the surface of a table or the like; an igniting unit including a heating element supported on the holder fo-r complete electrical and mechanical separation therefrom for use; and means on the holder and on the removable igniting unit adapted to engage When the removable igniting unit is supported on the holderlsaid means including electrical contacts for carrying current to the heating element carried by the igniting unit when the latter is moved in a direction toward the surface on which the holder is supported.

ll. A cigar lighter comprising a holder and a base adapted to rest by gravity on the surface of a table or the like, said holderbeing provided with a cavity at its top: an igniting unit having a collar adapted to tin the cavity of the holder to be supported thereby for complete mechanical and electrical separation therefrom; a heating element carried by the igniting unit, and means on the holder and on the removable igniting unit adapted to engage when the removable igniting unit is supported on the holder, said means including electrical contacts for carrying current to the heating element carried by the igniting unit, when the latter is moved in a direction toward the surface on which the holder is '1 said holder being provided with a cavity at its top: an igniting unit having a collar adapted to lit in the cavity of the holder to beA y supported thereby for complete mechanical and electrical separation therefrom: and means on the holder and on the removable igniting unit adapted to engage when the removable igniting unit is supported on the holder. said means including electrical contacts for carrying current to a heating element carried by the igniting unit when the latter is moved in a direction toward the surface on which the holder is supported, and the engagement of said means on the base and on the igniting unit heilig such that the igniting unit may be removed from the base foruse without lifting the holder from the supporting surface.

13'. An electric lighter for cigars and the like comprising a support; two terminals carried by said support, a support contact continuously in electrical engagement with one of said terminals; a second support Contact normally'yieldingly held out of electrical engagement with the other of said terminals; a removable igniter unit; a heating element on said unit; and twocontacts on the igniter unit; one of which is normally in engagement with the normally dead second support contact; and the other of which is normally out of electrical engagement with the iirst of said support contacts.

14C. An electric lighter for cigars and the like comprising a support; two `terminals carried by said support; a support contact continuously in electrical engagement with one of said terminals; a second support contact normally yieldingly held out of electrical engagement with the other of said terminals; a removable igniter unit; a heating element on said unit; two contacts on the igniter; one of which is normally in engagement with the normally dead second support contact, and the other of which is normally out of electrical engagement with the iirst oi said support contacts; and means to permit-movement of the igniting unit with respect to the support and to thereby close the electrical circuit between the two support terminals and the two igniter contact-s. y

15. An electric cigar lighter comprising a supporting device; a removable igniting unit; a iirst'contact and a second contact on the igniting unit; a first Contact and a second contact on the supporting device connected to a current supply; a first intermediate current conducting member between the two first contacts and a second intermediate current conducting member between the two second contacts; and means normally tending to separate the first intermediate conducting member from one of said rst contacts and separate the second intermediate member from one of said second contacts to provide a double gap in the current supply to said igniting unit. v

16. An electric cigar lighter comprising a supporting device; a removable igniting unit; two-pole current carrying means on the supporting device cooperating two-pole current carrying means on the igniterunit; and yielding means including a switch in the base .normally tendingl to keep the current-carrying means of both polarit-ies on the igniting unit out of current conducting relation with the current carrying means of both polarities on the supporting device.

17. An electric cigar lighter comprising a supporting device; a removable igniting unit; two-pole current carrying means on the supporting device; cooperating two-pole cir- Loraine cuit carrying means on the igniter carrier; and a spring plunger normally tending to keep thecurrent carrying means of both polarities on the igniting unit out of current conducting relation with the current carrying means ot both device.

18. lin an electrical device of the class described, a holding device upon which a removable translating unit may be supported; and aI switch device comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact on the holding devicefor closing a current supply circuit including the part of the holding device on which the translating unit issupported when said part of the holding device is moved.

19. [a cigar lighter comprising a body having a cavity open at one end of the body; a heating-element located in said cavity and bcing accessible tor engagement with a cigar or cigarette to ignite the end of the same; and a contact at the mouth of the cavity for removable engagement with a contact on the holding device to connect the heating element to a source ot E. M. l?. to heat the element and prepare the latter for the lighting of a cigar or cigarette.

20. An electric cigar lighter comprising a holding device; a removable translating unit adapted to be removably supported on the holding device; a resistance element; a circuit for the latter including a source of E. M. F.; a pair of contacts on the holder, and a cooperating pair of contacts on the unit; at least one of said contacts being movable into electrical engagement with another contact after said pairs of holder and unit contacts are electrically engaged and as a result of the continued movement of the translating unit in'a straight line relative to the holding device.

21. An igniting unit for electric cigar lighters comprising a body constituting a handle; a heating element of the type adapted to hold its heat for use after becoming electrically deenergized; and a plate supporting said heating element having a cup portion for receiving and confining the heating element and a marginal flange in contact with the body and a portion inwardly of said marginal portion having the material of the plate perforated to reduce dissipation of the heat of the heating element through the plate and to reduce heating of the body by reducing tle conduction of heat thereto through the p ate.

22. A cigar-lighter comprising a body, a heating element, the body having a cavity open at one end within which the heating element is located, the other end of the body l being closed and constituting a handle by means of which the cigar-lighter may be grasped, means at the open end of the body for mounting the cigar-lighter on a supporting device for quick removal and replacement polarities on the supportingso that the heating element is concealed by the supporting device and the closed end of the body is exposed and accessible to be manually engaged for the manipulation of the cigar-lighter, and means for closing a current supply circuit through the heating element to bring the same to incandescence for use.

23. A cigar-lighter comprising a body having a cavity opening at oneI end of the body the other end of the cavity being closed; a heating element located in said cavity and being accessible for engagement With a cigar or cigarette to ignite the end of the same; 'a contact connectable to a source of E. M. F. and removably extending into said cavity -through the open end to connect the heating element to a source of E. M. F. to heat'the heating element and prepare the latter for the lighting of a cigar orcigarette and means for causing current to flow from said source of E. M. F. through said contacts and said heating element.

24. An electric cigar-lighter comprising an igniting unit having a resistance Wire ribbon disposed edgeWise and spirally Wound to forma disk-like heating element; an igniting unit body of knob-like form having a cavity open at one end of the body in which the disk-like heating element is supported transversely of the axis of the body, the other end of the body being closed and forming a handle for the manipulation of the igniting unit; a boss-like holding device on which the igniting unit is supported for movement and for quick and complete removal and replacement incident to its use With the open end of the igniting unit body facing the holding device; and means on the holding device and on the igniting unit including an annular contact surrounding the dislnlike heating element cooperating to electrically connect the heating element to a source of current when the igniting unit is moved toward the holding device by pressure applied to the closed end of the insulating body.

Q5. An electric cigar-lighter comprising an igniting unit having a spirally coiled resistance element; an igniting unit body of knob-like form having a cavity open at one end of the body in which the resistance coil is supported and the other end of the body being closed and forming a handle for the manipulation of the igniting unit; and a boss-like holding device on Which the igniting unit is supported for movement and for quick and complete removal and replacement incident to its use with the open end of the igniting unit body facing the holding device, said body having a. cylindrical portion around its open end and said holding device having a shallow recess receiving said cylindrical portion of the body; and separable cooperating contacts on the igniting unit and holding device for carrying current to the resistance element.

26. An electric cigar-lighter comprising an igniting unit having a spirally coiled resistance element; an igniting unit body of knob-like form having a cavity open at one end of the body in which the resistance coil is supported and the other end of the body being closed and forming a handle for the manipulation of the igniting unit; a bosslike holding device on which the igniting unit is supported for movement and for quick and complete removal and replacement incident to its use With the open end of the igniting unit body facing the holding device; said body being cylindrical at its open end and said holding device having a recess telescopically receiving said cylindrical portion of the body; and separable cooperating contacts, at least one of which is yielding, on the igniting unit and on the holding device for carrying current to the resistance element.

27. An electric cigar-lighter comprising an igniting unit having a spirally coiled resistance element; an igniting unit body of knob-like form having a cavity open at one end of the body in which the resistance coil is supported and the other end of the body being closed and forming a handle for the manipulation of the igniting unit; and a boss-like holding device on which the i niting unit is supported for movement an for quick and complete removal and replacement incident to its use with the open end of the igniting unit body facing the holding device, and separable contacts on'the igniting unit and holding device for carrying current to the resistance element.

FRANCS C. COPELAND. 

